“The first three novels introduce the peculiars and their world,” says Riggs of expanding the universe he created in the 2011 bestseller. “But peculiardom is vast, its history is long and there’s so much left to discover. I can’t wait to delve deeper, and to bring the story to America.”

Miss Peregrine (along with sequels Hollow City and Library of Souls) centered on Jacob Portman, who worked to help and protect the peculiars (kids with strange and unusual gifts) from the evil forces threatening to destroy them. The second trilogy will once again follow Jacob on his adventures with Miss Peregrine and his peculiar friends — only this next arc will be set against American history and will explore some of the questions raised as the series came to a close.

Tales of the Peculiar, a companion book to the series, was published on Sept. 3, and provided backstory for some of books’ characters.

Tim Burton’s movie adaptation of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, starring Eva Green, Samuel L. Jackson and Asa Butterfield, recently opened on Sept. 30 and has since earned $199 million worldwide.

Riggs and his wife, author Tahereh Mafi, will appear at EW’s PopFest later this month for a special discussion. More information on ticketing and the full event can be found here.